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Someone suggested we needed a name. The motion for SOS was initiated, seconded, and passed so quickly that after a break I requested that we revisit the motion.

I told the group that the action was processed so quickly I was afraid we were acting like the Administrative Caucus at a UAW Convention. I wanted to be sure that members did not leave feeling the motion was ramrodded through without adequate deliberation and debate.

In further discussion members expressed (1) they felt like soldiers; (2) SOS was the signal for emergency and they felt it was an emergency; (3) the name didn’t restrict the organization to active UAW members and they wanted to be inclusive; (4) it has a militant ring.

In all four meetings there was a consensus expressed that we needed to broaden the struggle and be open to all workers — union and non union, active and retired, employed or unemployed, healthy or injured, skilled and unskilled, and professional as with teachers or nurses.

In a recent interview with the Detroit Free Press, David Cole, director of the business-supported auto-industry analysis group Center for Auto Research (CAR), said concerns about the UAW -- and especially about a splinter group that has bucked both the union and corporate leaderships -- may hurt economic prospects by turning Toyota away from Michigan. Demonstrations and calls for grassroots action against UAW leaders by the dissident workers, which call themselves Soldiers of Solidarity(SoS), "absolutely scares the liver out of Toyota," Cole said.

As The NewStandard reported previously, both UAW leaders and labor analysts have contended that this move could severely weaken the union.

What an extraordinary example of business unionism that supports a policy of working side by side with General Motors executives in hand picking retired UAW International appointed representatives to “represent” all retirees in order to get these concessions made legal by a judge.

Another member asked” Why don’t we see you in the plant? You are our leaders and we need to see you. Spread yourselves out thin!”

The Vice-President said “I’m not a self proclaimed leader” and the brother who spoke snapped “We elected you as our leader did we not?”


She had no answer and responded by saying “if you need us, you know our phone number here at the union hall. We have voice mail.”

Another member raised his hand and asked about GM flow back rights. The Vice-President responded to this question also while everyone just sat back and listened. “We have no information, it is still being worked on. We don’t know anything.”

She then for some reason felt the need to say “Stop listening to opinions on handbills not authorized by the Local leadership. You need to trust your leaders and trust your contract. I have 27 years and have been through 5 plant closures I know what I‘m talking about.”